Dynamic product tracking system using RFID

• US 7,518,511 B1
• Filed: 03/01/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Insync Software
• Original Assignee: Insync Software
• Inventors: Zhou, Ye, Chona, Ashish, Chastaine, Leif, Panja, Ravi
• Primary Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/367,024
• Time in Patent Office: 1,140 Days
• Field of Search: 340/572.1, 340/5.92, 340/568.1, 340/5.1, 340/10.1, 340/531, 340/539.1, 340/5.9, 340/539.13, 340/825.49, 340/572.8, 340/505, 340/501, 340/825.69, 340/572.7, 705/1, 705/16, 705/22, 235/380, 235/381
• US Class Current: 340/572.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/026 for alarm, monitoring and auditing in vending machines or means for indication, e.g. when empty
• CPC Class Codes: G07G 1/009 the reader being an RFID reader

Abstract

A dynamic product tracking system uses RFID (radio frequency identification) to provide real time updates regarding item-level product movements, enriches the received RFID scan data with master and associative data, and stores the resulting enriched data in a product tracking server database. The product tracking server also stores static reference data, pre-defined rules or queries, generates pre-defined messages for delivery to other business management (e.g., ERP, accounting, and EDI) systems, and responds to ad hoc, online user inquiries and tracking requests. In a preferred embodiment, a model or state machine representation of the system is used.

Claims

1. A method for acquiring and managing data relating to item-level movement of products, product type, or other objects comprising the steps of—

affixing a RFID tag to each item initialized with at least a product ID code unique to the product type and a serial number unique to the specific product or object,

scanning the RFID tag with an RFID antenna or other radio frequency scanner to determine the product ID code, serial number, and current location,

receiving the scanned data from said RFID scanner into a local control node computer,

transmitting said scanned data from said control node computer through an electronic data network to an RFID tracking server,

creating a data record on said tracking server to contain said scanned data,

supplementing said scanned data with static reference data pertaining to the product and manufacturer,

further supplementing the scanned data with business context information such as invoice, purchase order, repair order or maintenance request, and

recording said scanned data and said supplemental data in one or more data records in an electronic data storage and retrieval system.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

using a state machine computer model of a workflow process for the products, product type, or other objects with the data records in the data storage and retrieval system to automatically manage the workflow process.

3. A method for acquiring and managing data relating to item-level movement of products, product type, or other objects comprising the steps of—

affixing an RFID tag to each item initialized with at least a product ID code unique to the product type and a serial number unique to the specific product or object,

scanning the RFID tag with an RFID antenna or other radio frequency scanner to determine the product ID code, serial number, and current location,

receiving current scanned item data from said RFID scanner into a local control node computer,

creating a predefined process plan containing a digital representation of process steps to be followed, including the control node, action steps, shipment destination, carrier, and any constraints or conditions,

comparing for said current scanned item data the current location of scanned item with the control node and time limits contained in said pre-defined process plan, and

issuing a message to a user regarding conformance of the received scanned item data to the pre-defined process plan.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the digital representation further comprises:

a state machine computer model.

5. A method for acquiring and managing data relating to item-level movement of products, product type, or other objects comprising the steps of—

affixing an RFID tag to each item initialized with at least a product ID code unique to the product type and a serial number unique to the specific product or object,

dividing a given storage or work area into a pre-defined grid of cells, in which each cell has a pre-defined cell ID number, and in which each cell has an RFID tag affixed either in the cell or nearby, the RFID tag having a unique tag number,

creating and storing a series of digital records containing a pre-defined cell locations, cell ID numbers, and unique RFID tag numbers,

scanning, using a handheld or other RFID reader wand, the RFID tag of an item to be stored,

scanning, using a handheld or other RFID reader wand, the RFID tag of the location cell into which the item is being stored,

receiving by a RFID Tracking Server the data from the two scans, of the item to be stored and the storage cell tag,

associating by the RFID tracking server the unique grid cell location tag ID with the RFID tag data for the item to be tracked, and

recording the grid cell location data in a RFID tracking database in association with the data for the tracked item, such that the scanned grid cell location is entered as now being the current location of the tracked item.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

using a sate machine model of a workflow process involving the products, product type, or other objects together with the data collected by the RFID tracking server to mange the workflow process.